New Delhi, April 30
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave a major push yet again towards cashless economy and said the younger generation is already liberating itself from the “shackles of cash” even as in reference to removal of red beacon from cars he stressed on the need to remove the ‘VIP culture’ from people’s mind. “The new generation is more or less freeing itself from the shackles of cash. It does not need cash. It has begun adopting digital currency,” the Prime Minister said in his monthly Mann Ki Baat programme over All India Radio. On the VIP culture, Mr Modi underlined in no unambiguous term: “If we collectively strive to do it with eternal vigilance, the VIP culture surely can be flushed out”. He said while the youth made use of Digital transaction system, many would still wonder on garnering some extra income from the digital economic system. “I know you do it, but have you ever wondered that you can earn using this very scheme? ” Mr Modi said addressing youth and maintained that by downloading the BHIM App and using it, individuals can even earn extra bucks as the government will be running a scheme till October 14 wherein one can earn Rs 10 for each extra reference and use of the App “It is a scheme of the Government of India. You must be downloading the BHIM App and using it. But do refer it to others; make others join you in that. If the new member does three transactions, performs financial business thrice, you stand to earn ten rupees for that. Ten rupees will be credited to your account from the government. If you involve 20 persons in a day, by evening, you would’ve earned two hundred rupees,” the Prime Minister said. This measure will be also like a “contribution towards making of a Digital India”, he underlined and said such individuals – students to traders — can in fact in the process “become a sentinel of New India”. Mr Modi urged the students and youth force to link this activity and making extra income to the “joy of summer vacation”. Addressing youth, the Prime Minister underlined that they should be more than particular about “human elements” and ought to be careful that technology should not succeed in engulfing the differences between people. “Do something out of the box, my friends,” he urged them and went onto say, “This is a country full of diversity and if you look, then there can be someone who can teach us something new is just around the corner”. ‘Youth should be adventurous and travel for at least 24 hours in unreserved railway compartment and try to learn from the experiences. “From my personal experience, I can tell you that you can learn a lot from on ground experience and by seeing things for yourself,” Mr Modi said. On the decision of his government to do away with red beacons from cars, the Prime Minister said it is time the ‘VIP culture’ is shed from the mindset. “Generally speaking, in our country there exists an atmosphere of disdain towards the VIP culture. But that it runs so very deep, I just experienced, when the government recently decided that no person in India, whatsoever his status might be, will not move with a red beacon atop his vehicle,” Mr Modi said.